


Rainy Days and Mondays

by The_Cat_Whisperer



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Wholesomeness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 19:19:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17689316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Cat_Whisperer/pseuds/The_Cat_Whisperer
Summary: In a world, an AU world, Lotor is a successful writer and living in a small town, but has a rough day.  He drinks away his sorrows until he finds someone who is having a worse day than he is.





	Rainy Days and Mondays

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to a Wordsday Prompt from Tumblrs famous Starfaring-PrinceLotor. The word today was Forlorn. I had fun taking Lotor to an alternate universe! He's a great character no matter what the setting.

Lotor was sitting in the café at a two-seater table by the window, looking out and watching the rain as he stirred his tea absentmindedly, the spoon clinking lightly against the sides of the mug. His morning had not gone as it was supposed to.  His publisher cancelled this morning’s meeting at the last minute, the contracts for the ad blitz were stalled over a possible copyright issue and, worst of all, his new book tour was being scheduled for less than half the time it was supposed to be.  He needed to be out with his fans, pressing the flesh so to speak, promoting the hell out of the latest piece of his soul he put to paper.  To top it all off he was out of tea.  It was too far to try to attempt shopping today without getting a cab, so he settled for satisfying his minor addiction at this little spot that was close to home.  

An early winter thunderstorm was chasing all of the holiday window-shoppers inside, leaving the normally bustling streets rather empty.  He took the opportunity to appreciate the architecture of the buildings up and down the road, watching as the rain dripped off the green and white striped awning over the corner butcher shop opposite from him.  Normally he was out with a purpose of getting from one place to another, not noticing the little town around him.  That was a shame, he thought.  The town was rather quaint.  The window vibrated next to him from the rumble of thunder that reverberated through the air.   

The bell over the door tinkled lightly as a couple stumbled out of the shop into the storm, laughing and racing through the rain, trying to stay dry.  He barely heard the conversations going on around him, sipping his Chrysanthemum tea, feeling the wind as it swirled around the shop from the couple’s quick exit.  It gently stirred the bang that fell down his forehead, causing it to dance lightly.  He shook his head, the movement swishing his ponytail across the back of his neck eliciting an involuntary shiver.  He sighed, tipping back his mug and swallowing the last of his now lukewarm tea.  It was time to head for home.  He had hoped the rain would have dispersed by now, but he was going to have to walk in the drenching shower.  He had wasted a good part of the afternoon just lost in thought, watching the people come and go as their pressing obligations pulled the strings of their lives like marionettes tied to time.

He stood up and pulled his jacket around his shoulders, tossing a handful of dollars on the table for the frazzled waitress he had kept busy all afternoon with his requests for more hot water and tea bags.  Adjusting his collar up to protect his neck against the chilly air, he stepped out onto the sidewalk.  He was ready to cross over, staying far back from the curb as a car drove by, splashing the water up and over the concrete where he would have been standing.  The door to the butcher shop across the street slammed open and an angry man came rushing out, chasing a tiny black furball away from the window.  Lotor looked up, heart nearly stopping in his chest as the little animal looked to be racing for the street, before pivoting back and hiding under a large dumpster in the alley.

He looked both ways and stepped out, crossing over and entering the alley that only moments before he’d had no intention of going to.   He leaned over, placing one hand on the side of the dumpster for balance, and peered underneath.  He couldn’t see it at first, thinking perhaps the animal had run out the other side before he approached.  But there, he saw it, the two bright eyes reflecting in the low light betraying its presence. 

“Hello there, little thing,” he called out, rain trickling down his forehead until it dripped to the ground below.  The animal cowered back further into the darkness.  Lotor looked around, seeing someone walk by.

“Excuse me!” he called out as a lady was hurrying by, glancing at him.  “Hi, would you mind giving me a hand?” 

The young lady skidded to a stop and walked over to him.  He glanced up at her, before returning his gaze to the darkness, seeking the animal out again; relief rushing through him when found it. 

“Are you ok?” she girl asked.

“Yes, I’m fine, but there’s a little animal under here that might need some assistance,” he said.

“Oh, let me see.”  She dropped to her knees on the wet pavement and looked in the direction Lotor was pointed.

“Aww, it’s a kitten!” she exclaimed.  “Poor little thing!  We can’t leave it out here, the temperature is going to drop.  It won’t survive being wet and then freezing.  It looks too young.” She turned her head and looked up at him.  “Wait here!”

She lept up and ran into the butcher shop.  Lotor was trying to think about what happens next.  The little animal was obviously frightened, but he couldn’t determine if it either truly needed a friendly hand or was simply a beloved house pet belonging to someone in the neighborhood. 

“It’s alright,” he called out to it, “you’ll be fine.  Come here, little one.”  The yellow eyes blinked causing it to vanish until they opened again.  Lotor could hear the girl returning. 

“Here’s some little bits of turkey,” she said, holding out a bag to him.  “See if you can convince it to come out.  He took a piece and held it in his fingers, extending it under the dumpster.  The rain was running under his collar, through his hair, down his face, and he was getting very chilled.  He briefly thought of giving up, but he realized that if he was cold the little baby under the dumpster would also be cold. 

The eyes blinked again, and Lotor realized he could see the animal very cautiously closing the distance.  The smell of food was driving it forward and overwhelming the fear it must be feeling.  Lotor held his hand as still as possible so as not to scare it back into the shadows.

“Here it comes,” the girl whispered.  “get ready to pick it up.  If it gets away, you might never get another chance.”

He nodded, waiting.  One step.  Another.  Blinking, and looking up at Lotor, body tense, determining if it was going to run.  It stretched its neck out, gingerly taking the meat in its teeth.  He gently withdrew his hand.

“Another piece?” he asked, and the girl gave it to him.  He slowly placed his hand back under the dumpster but not as far this time, giving the cat the opportunity to come a little closer.  He watched it finishing the piece of the turkey and turning its eyes back to him.  As it crept forward again Lotor could see the little thing more clearly.  Its fur was drenched which allowed him to see just how skinny it was, the drooping tail trailing its long fur along the ground.  It let out a small ‘meow’, melting his heart.  Such a forlorn little thing.  He knew he couldn’t leave it. 

He continued to hold the food and watched, holding his breath as the kitten approached him, closer and closer to then rub its face against Lotor’s fingers, closing its eyes in pleasure.  He could hear the purring easily, echoing under the metal structure.  The kitten took the food being offered and Lotor slid his fingers under the belly, swiftly but gently picking it up and pulling it from its makeshift shelter. 

The girl looked at him with a smile, touching his arm.

“You got it! Way to go!”  She sounded exuberant.

Lotor stood up and nodded his head, smiling at her.

“Thank you for stopping,” he said.  “I wouldn’t have been able to get it without you.”

She pulled her wet hair back out of her face, handing him the plastic bag with the remainder of the chunks of turkey.

“I have to go.  Good luck!” she said, turning and heading back down the alley.

Lotor realized that he was standing in the rain, holding a bag of turkey and a soaking wet kitten.  He could feel the ribs under his fingers which caused him to realize it was definitely not someone’s pet.  It shivered and sneezed, breaking him from his reverie, and he tucked it into his jacket against his chest, trying to use his own body heat to warm the little thing.

He walked back down the alley and headed up the street, glancing down and seeing the yellow eyes peering at him up through the darkness of his clothing, watching him.  He smiled and wrapped his arm around the little bundle, feeling the shivering subside. 

“There you go, little thing,” he said, offering another piece of turkey.  Lotor was satisfied when he could feel the animal eating it and hearing the purring start up again.

He pulled his keys out and crossed the threshold of his townhouse, closing the door.  Stripping off his dripping jacket, he carried it into the kitchen and tossed it into the sink to keep the water from pooling on the floor.  Suddenly he felt something painful in his chest and looked to see the little kitten kneading its claws into his flesh with a satisfied look on its face.

“Ah, I see how it’s going to be,” he said, cradling the little body in his large hands, smirking at the audacity of such a wretched-looking little ball of fuzz.  He laughed at it as it tried to reach up and play with his bang like a cat toy.  He pulled out a dishtowel and started to dry the kitten’s fur while simultaneously warming its body.  The curious eyes were playfully flicking back and forth, following Lotor’s fingers as he dried it off, little paws swatting and trying to catch him with its claws.  The kitten, purring loudly, tilted its head back to look up at him, and let out a tiny, “meow,”, causing Lotor to become instantly smitten with his new companion.

He carried it upstairs and placed it on his blankets as he started pulling off his dripping boots and soaking wet clothing.  The kitten jumped around, pouncing on the bed in various places like a little fox hunting prey under the ground; Lotor grinned and shook his head in wonder.  It was rather adorable.  He was already trying to determine a name, that is, if he was going to keep it.  Since he didn’t know if it wa a female or male he chose one oh each.  He had settled on either Charlotte after Charlotte Bronte or Hemmingway after Earnest, a well-known lover of cats.  He pulled on his sleep pants and reluctantly walked out to go dry his hair, leaving the little kitten to bounce around the bed, chasing its tail and diving headfirst under the sheets.

Ten minutes later he returned but couldn’t find his newest roommate until he remembered where it had been playing.  He peeked under his sheets and saw it all curled up, fast asleep.  Carefully climbing into bed, turning the light off and snuggling down, he felt the kitten pulling itself over into the crook of his arm where it buried its nose against his skin and purred itself to sleep.  Lotor sighed deeply with a small smile as he closed his eyes.  It had ended up being a decent day after all.


End file.
